Urgent action is needed by government to protect tenants who live in poor quality private rented homes, MPs have demanded.
A report published by the all-party Health and Social Care Committee calls on the government to update the Decent Homes Standard for social housing tenants and set out a timetable for its extension to cover the private rented sector.
More than three years after the Government first committed to review and then extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, no legal minimum quality standard exists to protect tenants in private rentals.
The Decent Homes Standard has not been updated since 2006.
MPs on the committee claim the less well-off and those living in poor neighbourhoods are much more likely to develop life-limiting health conditions and to die prematurely from the effects of those conditions. The most serious housing hazards include fire and electrical risks, excess cold, excess heat, damp and mould, and air pollution.
In 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from a respiratory condition caused by mould in a housing association property.
A determined focus on developing "healthy places" that can prevent ill-health for those most at risk is vital to ease pressures on the NHS and build a sustainable service for future generations, says the committee.
Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee Steve Brine MP - a Conservative - says: “Poor quality homes can have a catastrophic impact on the health of the those who live in them.
“The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from a respiratory condition caused by mould in his home should leave Ministers in no doubt that tenants in both the social and private rented sectors deserve greater protection by law.
“The government has dragged its feet on updating the Decent Homes Standard for the social rented sector and in extending it to cover the private rented sector.
“We’re calling on the government to set out its timetable for doing so without delay.
“Our report welcomes the government’s plan to introduce Awaab’s law for tenants in the social sector. We urge swift action on the outcome of the consultation, but the government must also consider safeguards for tenants in the private sector where risks of damp and mould can pose an immediate danger to health.
“Creating healthy places to live to prevent ill-health among the population must take priority for Ministers. Not only will that reduce pressures on the NHS but will save vast sums spent each year on treating people with preventable illness.”
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The biggest problem for landlords of leasehold properties will be getting the freeholder to do anything. It takes forever to get any work actioned partly due to the legally required process for work costing more than £250.
I have been trying to get water ingress due to failed pointing and lack of balcony drainage dealt with for over 3 years in one ex Council flat. Another ex Council flat has gaps around the window frames, poor pointing and damaged guttering which has been ignored by the Council for years. They occasionally send surveyors to look at both flats, say it's a big job and do nothing for another year.
Another flat has water ingress from a chimney. The freeholder has known about it for nearly a year but can't find a contractor who is will to jump through their completely OTT Health and Safety registration procedures.
The really frustrating thing is that I am perfectly happy to pay my share but can't get the freeholder or managing agent to make progress.
Awaab and the others were social housing tenants. Virtue signalling MPs need to check before including the PRS in a knee jerk reaction.😡
Awaab was killed by his lazy parents
Hi Andrew, I understood the mould was really bad and the HA didn't react for a considerable period of time? I can however well believe his parents to be lazy and ignorant as has been my experience with previous mould growing tenants.
Yes Nick warm water a cloth and a little bleach was all that was needed and that little lad would still have been alive today
Yes that's what I think with a lot of mould issues. But some of these people won't lift a finger. They would rather live with it and complain about the landlord.
Well I have had mould growing Nigeria tenants. They were more interested in claiming compensation and complaining to the council so I give them a S21 and they can go back to the council for cheap rent and a perceived better property. No interest in not growing mould. I even went with a damp surveyor to find wet washing on racks with alll the windows shut. The surveyor explained about opening the windows etc. Total disinterest. Just “oh” “uh hah”. They didn’t change. Couldn’t be bothered to open the windows. My washing was outside that day. It was too much for them to open the back door and put in on the line outside.
The council came around to investigate. She found windows shut, water on the bathroom floor and wet towels just left on the floor. And they have a mould problem. Who would have guessed?
I got the no-win no fee parasite letter to defend (£600+VAT). They were all claiming astmha. As they did on the S21 defence and again with the deposit with the TDS.
Tenants are being given far too much power. Some are ‘have nots’. They have nothing because they won’t / don’t work or if they do it’s just to do something and claim the rest on the dreaded Universal Credit. So they don’t care what they earn it just gets topped up on benefits. They don’t care about the ‘rich’ landlord’s property. Instead they probably just resent their landlord anyway. Now with the RRB they will be able to make their landlord’s life a misery and make money with compensation. Why bother going to work? The MPs and councils can of course champion the raising of standards and ignore the downsides. It should also keep the s**t stuck with private landlords rather than keep coming back to the councils…
U r right... 95% of mould problems is the tenant's life style.. They claim they open the windows and don't dry clothes on radiators.. But it's strange no previous and subsequent tenants of the same property have the same problem.
I don't rent to benefit claimants.. I am sure there are many claimants who are decent but as you found out, problem tenants are more likely to be on benefits... I regret that HB was ever made payable on private property. Instead local councils should have had only the option to rent from the landlord. The PRS was never meant to be for long term housing of the poor.. The result is all landlords are now being forced to give all tenants the same rights as social housing tenants. That a private property owner won't be able to let their property for a fixed period is an abuse of property rights and is going to destroy the PRS..
Agree Peter. I told my agent no benefits. I struggled to rent in in 2015 and 2019. So I turned a blind eye. I also decided to give these Nigerians a change. I rue the day every day. Never again. I am doing it up to sell now due the abuse from the government and everyone else. It's my property and I'll rent it to whoever I please or not at all.
Oh if this comes in I can see thousands of no win no fee parasites coming after us 🆘🆘🤷♂️🤷♂️. No wonder many of us are selling up, who needs the hassle.
How many of these properties have issues before tenants move in? Probably very few if any.
Purchased a property from the original occupier of some twenty years, no issues with the property or the survey. Tenants move in 6 weeks later I had to install a dehumidifier for black mould and soaking wet windows. It's solved the issue but of course the cause remains in the that tenants will not open windows even after showering. This is the problem because most tenants have never owned a property they don't respect them and whilst there are a number of crp landlords who aren't maintaining their properties, legislation that simply reinforces the attitude of "not my problem, not my house" will result in more disputes and landlords simply selling up.
There should be a government national TV advert pointing out how to stop condensation in the same way we have adverts about smoking, litter dropping, etc.. The country is increasingly ignorant on the basics of how to maintain a home... I certainly have had to educate quite a few.. Mostly they learn and complaints of condensation vanish along with the condensation..
We all know that bad tenants can cause mould in good houses whilst bad LLs ignore the law! Instead of more regulation, Councils should use the powers they already have to deal with the LLs who flout the law & stop threatening those of us doing a good job with further regulations!
But the council’s benefit from the current situation, they like the angst as they can charge ever increasing licensing fees.
As both a landlord and a long term letting agent, I know that the vast majority of small landlords are good landlords.. But the government wants us out.. They want so called professional big landlords who can carpet bag our properties as we sell up...
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Without doubt the majority of mould and damp issues emanate from a lack of ventilation.
That is down to a tenant to manage and treat. There needs to be some nuance on this topic.
I bought a property 3 years ago an x council property. The old lady had lived there 37 years. I rented it to a lovely Brazilian family for 2 years. Only had 1 issue with an external wall that had a small area of damp near the window. We eliminated the problem and drilled a condensation control vent into the wall ! Perfect. They opened the windows and I also gave them fact sheets on condensation!! Regular 3 month inspections for 2 years. I then had a family from the Caribbean who have the heating on 30 degrees and never open a window!! Washing all over! Unclean! I have been to the property 32 times as I have constant complaints!! I have honestly tried to educate and they don’t give a damn!!! I even tried to open the windows myself and they have locked them all! Key hidden! They now complain the kids have asthma and the bedroom and property is mouldy!! Such lies!!!Thank god they have decided to move!! I have video evidence to prove no mould only that the window s are soaking through never seen a cloth or cleaner!! I bought them a dehumidifier which helps but I can’t wait to see the back of them and air the property!!
I have a big fat lazy British woman like that won't open a window because she might lose some heat, thick as shhh
I always was 'nice' to my Nigerians so I could at least access the property to do things rather then them messing tradesmen around. Your's sound worse. Thank god they have decided to go. But I am surprised they can find somewhere else. They don't look 'A-Grade'!
I believe in most cases it is the way the tenants live in the property. They do not open windows or use installed extractor fans in the bathrooms. Some radiators are switched off, like in the hallway. They have brought their own beds, though it is furnished. No place to move, just too much furniture. Asked to remove their furniture by phoning council who can pick them up at a small price. They say they are trying to sell them However, after being there for 3 months, not removed the furniture. I saw them cooking without opening the kitchen windows and no heating in the evenings. Why the government do not wish to train the tenants and why it falls on to the landlords. The electrician has been sent twice and I have paid twice. Now he has to go 3rd time for the same work and he said he cannot do so as there is too much furniture for him to access to all the rooms. Afterwards, he sends me a message to say he would do it less charges per hour. However, it is under rent to rent and have again asked the company to get the tenants to remove their furniture. I never get a response from the company. I feel sorry for the tenants so I keep sending workmen. I have come to stage, where I shall have to give 3 months notice as there is too much furniture for 4 people in the house. The rent to rent company is charging about £1000 per month more than they are paying me but no inspection done so far. When I complained, they said they will give tenants 3 months notice to leave. I really feel sorry for the tenants but the way they are living is not right at all. I really wish to have my house returned to me. The tenants wish to stay until July. So I may have to put up with this rent to rent company who does not to fulfil their contractual responsibilities.
I've even had a woman tape over a bathroom extractor fan, what can you do with people like that?
Ten years ago I purchased my Nan and grandads house, in order for them to go into a nursing home.
They had bought the house new in 1954. I grew up there.
There house had never had mould, as my Nan would open windows.
Tenants moved in and after a few months, complained of mould to the bathroom ceiling.
When I asked if they opened the bathroom window, they said it was too cold outside.
Beggars belief.
People can look into a Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) system. I put one in for £1k. Shame as I am now forced to sell due to all this type of nonsense coming out and the rest of the RRB. Nuaire created it. I put in Envirovent in which is very good. £1k should be cheap rather than keep fixing mould, and lawyers fees / compensation going forward....
I have put in slow running constant extractors on landings and hall ways these have worked, not tried a PIV yet, I will one day
I did Envirovent to a flat and it works really well, cannot beat cracking a window open and getting a bit of fresh air though.
Opening the windows wide for a few minutes everyday to let warm, damp air escape is so simple. It doesn't even really affect the temperature of the house as heat is retained in the curtains, walls, carpets etc. But you cannot tell some people!
Especially people on benefits!
Can somebody explain to our unpractical landlord hating MP's that the answer to mould & condensation damp in properties is simple:
1. Educate tenants on causes
2. Educate tenants how heating systems heat property
3. Heat the property
4. Ventilate the property
5. Do not turn extractor fans off
6. Do not cover vents over
7. Do not close trickle vents
8. Do not dry washing within the property
9. Do not vent tumble dryers into the property
10. Close bathroom doors after bathing
11. Cover saucepans when cooking
12. Use kitchen extractors when cooking
All common sense really which sadly seems to be lacking in some tenants
5. Do not cover
Well Michael 'Arrogant' Gove says otherwise:
"Damp and mould in the home are not the result of ‘lifestyle choices’, and it is the responsibility of landlords to identify and address the underlying causes of the problem, such as structural issues or inadequate ventilation.”
He ignores all science and expert opinions. He just turns things upside down and doesn't listen to any sense.
Nick
He does admit inadequate ventilation can be the cause and opening windows is the easiest, fastest and lowest cost way to ventilate a property.
Gove IS the underlying cause of landlords selling up.
Yes. He did inherit S21 going from James Brokenshire. He visited a council slum area and decided to get rid of S21. Each Tory MP has continued. But Gove has gone all-in and wants to hand over complete control over to tenants. That's a disaster. I was horrified by the White Paper and started evicting immediately. It's too much trouble now.
My best property has had around 20 of tenants over the years, and two cases of mould, interspersed with several years of no mould whatsoever.
The last time I challenged the tenants about drying clothes inside, despite there being a clothes line right outside, and never opening the windows " to prevent losing expensive heat".
I knew they were science students so I reminded them that the cost of evaporating a kilo of water was several hundred times the cost of heating a kilo of dry air and dry air heated up nearly twice as cheaply as the water vapour in moist air at 60% relative humidity. They were dumbstruck and resolved to use the clothes line and open windows when necessary.
What I have said above is absolutely true, but I omitted to point out that the weight of water vapour in a cubic metre of moist air at 20C and 60% relative humidity is around 17 grams, a fraction of the 1204 grams weight of the actual air in the same volume.
However if Shelter, Acorn, Generation Rant etc are economic with the truth there's no reason why Landlords can't adopt the same tactics.
Believe it or not I had one lot that used the curtain poles for hanging up the washing, when I go past I see them all hanging in rooms front windows of this 3 storey south facing house.
In relation to the Awaab Ishak case there has been very little blame on the disrepair claims process. On 12.6.20 solícitos sent a claim letter to the HA. On 14.7.20 the HA inspected the property and sent their report to the claimant solicitors on 29.7.20. As the bathroom had mould and no window I’d expect mechanical extract ventilation would have been recommended. The kitchen window opened onto a communal walkway, so fear of entry by intruders may explain why it wasn’t used more. What nobody is saying loudly enough is that claimant solicitors regularly threaten landlords that they must not start work on the disrepair until their expert has had access to inspect. The tenants probably didn’t want to clean off the mould until it had been seen by their expert. The real tragedy is that without that legal claim the landlord may well have installed mechanical extract ventilation to kitchen and bathroom and the mould removed. A ceiling may be hard to reach but the cupboard in the boys bedroom was accessible and there’s no reason why that couldn’t have been cleaned, other than keeping the mould there to show the “expert”. Nobody referred the case to the council’s environmental health service. This should be a prerequisite before any legal claim against a private sector provider or social landlord (other than their own properties) gets started. If apportioning “blame” I’d be putting most of it onto the solicitors representing the family on that disrepair claim for not wanting to compromise their claim(and success fees) by allowing the works needed to go ahead.
I don't know the full facts regarding the little boy... But the vast majority of mould is caused by the tenant's lifestyle.. A kiyvhen window that opens on a communal hallway can still be opened while cooking or afterwarfd for 5 mins.. A bedroom that has condensation and not damp, simply needs to be aired. While the bedroom is not in use, open the window on the latch by quarter of inch. On sunny winter days, fully open the windows..
I agree with your comments, @Peter Royan, and would also like to add RIP to the little boy.
In addition to your comments, I noticed that @Diane Thomas mentioned twice that the mould wasn't cleaned off until seen by the expert. Was it not possible to take photos and a short film (mobile phones all have that facility these days) and then clean it off?
Agreed Daniele, why didn't the little lads parents clean the mould off warm water and a little bleach just too bone idle expecting every thing to be done for them
"What nobody is saying loudly enough is that claimant solicitors regularly threaten landlords that they must not start work on the disrepair until their expert has had access to inspect". The no win no fee 'solicitor' I had said this. But I still went in and started fixing things anyway. Mould took a lot longer unfortunately. I had a number of surveys done etc. They have no right to tell a landlord not to fix a property just so the tenant and 'solicitor' can make money.
Hopefully they’ll stop that tactic now, even legal aid solícitors did it. Apart from treating the mould, ie cleaning it, it sounded like the only other item of work was to repair or replace the non functioning bathroom extractor fan. There were no structural issues. The report says there was no ventilation in the kitchen, it isn’t clear if that meant that the tenant didn’t open the kitchen window or if it meant there was no mechanical or passive ventilation. When Gove was firing off his letters the one to the legal profession encouraged the use of the Housing Ombudsman. He should’ve been directing Housing Association tenants to Environmental Health, and telling the legal profession they should be encouraging repairs to be completed and not trying to stall them. Solicitors also tell claimants some medical evidence will be good for their case and coincidentally a fortnight after the claim is in the health visitor saw the mould and reported her concerns. This wasn’t a case of a tenant not being aware of their legal rights so they should’ve been able to comprehend advice to open a kitchen window and clean off mould if they’d been given it. It’ll be harder to deliver that advice now, how do you say steps need to be taken, to reduce moisture, warm the place and ventilate it without it being received that they are currently doing something wrong, ie “blaming” them or attributing it to “lifestyle”. If Gove really wanted to help he should’ve commissioned advice on reducing condensation and had it translated into all the most common languages in a way that fits the bill of advising on a change of behaviour without any hint of “blame” on the existing behaviour.
Condensation is overwhelmingly due to lifestyle of the tenants provided the property has appropriate ventilation and it is utilised. The proof is how condensation is "picky". There is no problem with various tenants over decades.. One set in move and have mould... Those tenants move out.. And the mould vanishes. I have had this on both the private and social housing sector.
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